<h2>Name</h2>
<p>
It takes its name from v. 16.
</p>
<h2>Period of Revelation</h2>
<p>
It was revealed before the Migration to Habash. We learn from
authentic Traditions that Hadrat Ja'afar recited vv. 1-40 of this Surah
in the court of Negus when he called the migrants to his court.
</p>
<h2>Historical Background</h2>
<p>
We have already briefly referred to the conditions of that period in
the introduction to Surah Al-Kahf. Here we shall give rather fuller
details of the same conditions, which will be helpful in grasping the
meaning of this Surah and the other Surahs of the period. When the
chiefs of the Quraish felt that they had failed to suppress the Islamic
movement by ridicule, sarcasm, and by holding out promises and threats
and by making false accusations, they resorted to persecution, beating
and economic pressure. They would catch hold of the new Muslims of
their clans and persecute them, starve them and would even inflict
physical torture on them in order to coerce them to give up Islam. The
most pitiful victims of their persecution were the poor people and the
slaves and the proteges of the Quraish. They were beaten black and
blue, were imprisoned and kept thirsty and hungry and were dragged on
the burning sands of Makkah. The people would get work from the
professional labourers but would not pay them their wages. As an
instance we give below the story of Hadrat Khabbab bin Arat, which is
given in <em>Bukhari</em> and <em>Muslim</em>: 
</p>
<p>
"I used to work as a blacksmith in Makkah.
Once I did some work for As bin Wa'il. When I went to ask for my wages,
he said, 'I will not pay your wages unless you disown Muhammad'." 
</p>
<p>
In
the same connection Hadrat Khabbab says, "One day the Holy Prophet was
sitting in the shadow of the Ka'abah. I went to him and said, '0
Messenger of Allah, now persecution has gone to its extreme; why do
you not pray to Allah (for relief)?' At this the Holy Prophet was
greatly moved. He said, 'The believers before you were persecuted much
more than you. Their bones were scraped with combs of iron and their
heads were cut with saws, but still they did not give up their Faith.
I assure you that Allah will fulfill this Mission, and there will come
a period of such peace that one would travel from Sanna to Hadramaut,
and he will have no fear from anyone, save Allah. But you people have
already become impatient'." (<em>Bukhari</em>) 
</p>
<p>
When the conditions became
unbearable, the Holy Prophet, in the month of Rajab of the fifth year
of Prophethood, gave advice to his Companions to this effect: "You may
well migrate to Habash, for there is a king, who does not allow any
kind of injustice to anyone, and there is good in his land. You should
remain there till the time that Allah provides a remedy for your
affliction". 
</p>
<p>
Accordingly, at first, eleven men and four women left for
Habash. The Quraish pursued them up to the coast but fortunately they
got a timely boat for Habash at the sea-port of Shu'aibah, and they
escaped attest. Then after a few months, other people migrated to
Habash and their number rose to eighty-three men and eleven women of
the Quraish and seven non-Quraish. After this, only forty persons were
left with the Holy Prophet at Makkah. 
</p>
<p>
There was a great hue and cry in
Makkah after this Migration, for every family of the Quraish was
adversely affected by this. There was hardly a family of the
Quraish which did not lose a son, a son-in-law, a daughter, a brother
or a sister. For instance, there were among the Migrants the near
relatives of Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan and other chief of the Quraish who
were notorious for their persecution of the Muslims. As a result of
this, some of them became even more bitter in their enmity of Islam,
while there were others who were so moved by this that they embraced
Islam. For instance, this Migration left a deep mark on Hadrat Umar.
One of his relatives, Laila, daughter of Hathmah, says, "I was packing
my luggage for Migration, while my husband, Amr bin Rabiy'ah, had gone
out. In the meantime Umar came there and began to watch me, while I
was engaged in preparation for the journey. Then he said, 'Are you
also going to migrate?' I answered, 'Yes by God, you people have
persecuted us much. But the wide earth of Allah is open for us. Now we
are going to a place where Allah will grant us peace'. At this, I
noticed such signs of emotion on the face of Umar as I had never seen
before. He simply said, 'May God be with you' and went away." 
</p>
<p>
After
the migration, the Quraish held consultations, and decided to send
Abdullah bin Abi Rabiy'ah, half brother of Abu Jahl, and Amr bin As to
Habash with precious gifts so as to persuade Negus to send the
migrants back to Makkah. Hadrat Umm Salmah (a wife of the Holy
Prophet), who was among the migrants, has related this part of the
story in detail. She says, "When these two clever statesmen of the
Quraish reached Habash, they distributed the gifts among the courtiers
of the King and persuaded them to recommend strongly to him to send
the migrants back. Then they saw Negus himself and, presenting rich
gifts to him, said, "Some headstrong brats of our city have come to
your land and our chiefs have sent us to you with the request that you
may kindly send them back. These brats have forsaken our faith and
have not embraced your faith either, but have invented a new faith".
As soon as they had finished their speech, all the courtiers
recommended their case, saying, "We should send such people back to
their city for their people know them better. It is not proper for us
to keep them here". At this the King was annoyed and said, "I am not
going to give them back without proper enquiry. As these people have
put their trust in my country rather than in any other country and
have come here to take shelter, I will not betray them. At first I
will send for them and investigate into the allegations these people
have made against them. Then I will make my final decision".
Accordingly, the King sent for the Companions of the Holy Prophet and
asked them to come to his court. 
</p>
<p>
When the migrants received the
message of the King, they assembled and held consultations as to what
they should say to the King. At last they came to this unanimous
decision: "We will present before the King the teachings of the Holy
Prophet without adding anything to or withholding anything from them
and leave it to him whether he lets us remain here or turns us out of
his country". When they came to the court, the King put this problem
abruptly before them:"I understand that you have given up the faith of
your own people and have neither embraced my faith nor any other
existing faith. I would like to know what your new faith is." At this,
Jafar bin Abi Talib, on behalf of the migrants, made an extempore speech
to this effect: "O King! We were sunk deep in ignorance and had become
very corrupt; then Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him) came to us as
a Messenger of God, and did his best to reform us. But the
Quraish began to persecute his followers, so we have come to your
country in the hope that here we will be free from persecution". After
his speech, the King said, "Please recite a piece of the Revelation
which has been sent down by God to your Prophet". In response, Hadrat
Jafar recited that portion of Surah Maryam which relates the story of
Prophets John and Jesus (Allah's peace be upon them). The King
listened to it and wept, so much so that his beard became wet with
tears. When Hadrat Jafar finished the recital, he said:"Most surely
this Revelation and the Message of Jesus have come from the same
source. By God I will not give you up into the hands of these people".
</p>
<p>
Next day `Amr bin `As went to Negus and said, "Please send for them
again and ask them concerning the creed they hold about Jesus, the son
of Mary, for they say a horrible thing about him". The King again sent
for the migrants, who had already learnt about the scheme of Amr. They
again sat together and held consultations in regard to the answer they
should give to the King, if he asked about the belief they held about
Prophet Jesus. Though this was a very critical situation and all of
them were uneasy about it, they decided that they would say the same
thing that Allah and His Messenger had taught them. Accordingly, when
they went to the court, the King put them the question that had been
suggested by Amr bin As. So Jafar bin Abi Talib stood up and answered
without the least hesitation: "He was a Servant of Allah and His
Messenger. He was a Spirit and a Word of Allah which had been sent to
virgin Mary." At this the King picked up a straw from the ground and
said, 'Bye God, Jesus was not worth this straw more than what you have
said about him." After this the King returned the gifts sent by the
Quraish, saying, "I do not take any bribe". Then he said to the
migrants, "You are allowed to stay here in perfect peace."
</p>
<h2>Theme and Subject</h2>
<p>
Keeping in view this historical background, it becomes quite obvious
that this Surah was sent down to serve the migrants as a "provision"
for their journey to Habash, as if to say, "Though you are leaving
your country as persecuted emigrants to a Christian country, you
should not in the least hide anything from the teachings you have
received. There- fore you should plainly say to the Christians that
Prophet Jesus was not the son of God." 
</p>
<p>
After relating the story of
Prophets John and Jesus in vv. 1-40, the story of Prophet Abraham has
been related (vv. 41-50) also for the benefit of the Migrants for he
also had been forced like them to leave his country by the persecution
of his father, his family and his country men. On the one hand, this
meant to console the Emigrants that they were following the footsteps
of Prophet Abraham and would attain the same good end as that Prophet
did. On the other hand, it meant to warn the disbeliever, of Makkah
that they should note it well that they were in the position of the
cruel people who had persecuted their forefather and leader, Abraham,
while the Muslim Emigrants were in the position of Prophet Abraham
himself. 
</p>
<p>
Then the mention of the other Prophets has been made in vv.
51-65 with a view to impress that Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him)
had brought the same way of Life that had been brought by the former
Prophets but their followers had become corrupt and adopted wrong ways.
</p>
<p>
In the concluding passage (vv. 66-98), a strong criticism has been
made of the evil ways of the disbelievers of Makkah, while the
Believers have been given the good news that they would come out
successful and become the beloved of the people, in spite of the worst
efforts of the enemies of the Truth.
</p>

